Fans disappointed that Titanfall player count is fixed at 6v6, but is that really too low?

Responding to a fan’s question on Twitter, Respawn Entertainment’s Vince Zampella today revealed that the maximum number of players that will populate a match of Titanfall will be twelve – six a side – which Zampella and the development team believe to be the most balanced for them, especially considering that there are additional AI-controlled opponents (referred to as ‘popcorn’ enemies) running around the battlefield to keep the action moving.

Zampella reminded everyone that the twelve player limit doesn’t include these AI opponents, nor does it account for an additional twelve titans that could be roaming about adding to the intensity of the matches, writing:

@Dzelly_igr that's humans only count. There are lots of ai, everyone can have a Titan in follow or guard mode too.

With the reveal, there has been something of an outcry over how ‘low’ the number of maximum players is with some even going so far as to say that they’re disappointed and won’t play the game, citing the power of Xbox One and PC as more than enough to be able to handle more than twelve players at a time.

Titanfall Defence Force

Posting on NeoGAF, forum member (and Respawn Entertainment employee) ‘DKo5′ has jumped to Zampella’s defence, writing that anyone disappointed with the number of players should play the game before judging it.

According to DKo5, the team tested a number of different player configurations, including one versus one and up beyond six versus six, and “designed the maps, gameplay mechanics, and entire experience around which played best.”

Once again defending the decision to go with a lower player count, DKo5 wrote:

“And FYI, for amount of stuff happening at once in a map you’ll be hard pressed to find a game that keeps the action higher. I literally have to stop playing every few rounds because my heart just can’t take it some times. Remember, you can get out of your Titan and let it roam on AI mode – meaning there can be 12 Pilots wallrunning around, 12 Titans stomping below, and dozens of AI doing their thing.”

On a Personal Note…

Having already played Titanfall, I can say without a doubt that six players per side, with the chance to call in additional Titans to stomp around in along with the AI enemies running about, leads to an experience that is packed with action – there was hardly a moment that I wasn’t shooting at (or running away from) someone or something.

Added to all of that the chance to attack and chase enemies while double jumping and wall running (while also looking out for assaults from above) means you’ll have more than enough to think about in Titanfall – you can read about my hands-on time with Titanfall over here, and my previous hands-off preview over here.

As an aside, Zampella also confirmed that there will be unlocks for both players and titans in Titanfall – something that the game’s producer, Drew McCoy, wasn’t ready to talk about during my interview with him at gamescom 2013:

@DECIM8R there is enough to make it fun, the players are the real threat tho we will have unlocks for the players and titans